Hi,
I emailed the state ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) about my provisional ballot questions and got a very prompt, helpful response. I'm very impressed!
1. ANYONE can vote with a provisional ballot, registered, not registered, out of state, etc.
2. the provisional ballot will not count (ie will be thrown out) if the person is not registered in the same COUNTY IN PA as where they filed the provisional ballot. thus while someone registered in NJ is allowed to fill out a provisional ballot, the ballot will be thrown out. similarly someone from Lancaster can fill out a provisional ballot in Philly but again the ballot will be thrown out.
3. if someone from another district ("district" = "division" in philadelphia) with in the same county fills out a provisional ballot, the portions of the ballot that don't pertain to where they are registered (ie local ballot questions) are ignored when the ballot is counted.
So to summarize the important point: EVERYONE IS ALLOWED TO FILL OUT A PROVISIONAL BALLOT, EVEN IF YOU KNOW THE BALLOT WILL BE THROWN OUT.
Hope this helps to clarify for others. I'm glad I finally understand the rules.
Take care, Stephen
Stephen Fisher wrote:
Hi,
While this is currently moot, I just wanted to try and clear up something that caused much confusion on Tuesday, at least at one polling location. Hopefully in the next election there will be better training of the election officials so problems like this (and unnecessarily long lines) don't occur.
The question is who can use a Provisional Ballot. Below is the answer from the PA website. The 3rd condition suggests anyone can use a Provisional Ballot but it doesn't address the issue regarding their polling location. For example, can someone registered in Lancaster vote with a Provisional Ballot in Philly?
The PA website also states that you must be "entitled" to vote in the election district where you cast the Provisional Ballot. Thus it seems that a person registered to vote in one polling location, can not cast a Provisional Ballot in another polling location. Can anyone tell me if I'm correctly interpreting the rules? Also, what is an "election district"? It this the same as a "division"?
At your service and always ready move on, Stephen
ps. We lost the battle but the war has just begun!
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http://www.hava.state.pa.us/hava/cwp/view.asp?a=1187&q=442284&havaNav=%7C
Individuals are to be provided the opportunity to cast a provisional ballot if:
* The individual appears to vote and claims to be properly registered and eligible to vote in the election district, but the individual's name does not appear on the general register and elections officials cannot determine his/her registration.
* Regardless of whether the individual's name appears on the general register, the individual does not have an approved form of identification the first time he/she appears to vote in an election district.
* An election official asserts that the individual is not eligible to vote. (In a Primary Election this includes voters who claim to be registered for a particular political party, but the general register indicates they are registered as a member of another political party.)
County election officials will examine the provisional ballots within three (3) days after an election to determine whether the individual voting that ballot was entitled to vote at the election district in the election.
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